1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a magnetic sweeper, more particularly to a retractable magnetic sweeper.
2. Description of the Related Art
Magnetic metal objects, such as nails, nuts, screws, springs, studs, clips, etc., are likely to drop to the floor when in use. In a clean and small space, they can be picked up with bare hands with relative ease. However, it is troublesome to remove such metal objects from a spacious area, such as a yard, a lawn, a work site, and the beach, or small and narrow spaces, such as the ground beneath a car's chassis.
There is available a type of magnetic sweeper, such as that shown in FIG. 1, for removing magnetic metal objects from a surface. The magnetic sweeper as shown in FIG. 1 includes a base seat 1, a tubular member 2 connected to and extending from the base seat 1, a handle 3 connected to the tubular member 2 opposite to the base seat 1, a magnetic member 4 mounted within the base seat 1, a pulling bar 5 mounted axially within the tubular member 2 and connected to the magnetic member 4, and a moving member 6 connected to the pulling bar 5 opposite to the magnetic member 4 and surrounded by the handle 3. When the moving member 6 is not pulled, the magnetic member 4 abuts against a bottom wall 101 of the base seat 1. Therefore, the magnetic sweeper can be operated by holding the handle 3 to attract the magnetic metal objects onto the bottom wall 101. When the moving member 6 is pulled out of the tubular member 2, the magnetic member 4 is in turn moved away from the bottom wall 101 so as to release the attracted magnetic metal objects. Therefore, the magnetic metal objects can be removed and collected at a desired site with the use of the magnetic sweeper.
Since the tubular member 2 is not retractable, it is both expensive and inconvenient to pack, ship and store the magnetic sweeper of the prior art.